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Setting
out the priorities, NAM and Arab League
Gulf News
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Although there are many who would say that the
Non-Aligned Movement, NAM, had failed to live up to its early promise,
nonetheless, it is a forum for independent nations to speak on issues of
concern to their individual countries, or collectively as a region. It is
thus pertinent to note that at their summit in Malaysia, the prime
minister of that country, Dr. Mahathir Mohammed, spoke out against the
prospect of war against Iraq. He raised an issue that has been of major
concern ever since the attacks upon America on September 11, 2001, namely,
that any counter-terrorism moves by the West will be seen only as
manoeuvres against Islam. Although this is an accusation that is
frantically denied by Western leaders, it is the nature of the vociferous
denials that leads even moderate Islamic nations to have their doubts and
suspicions.
Now, with the demonstrable failure of all the might of the
United States of America to bring either Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar to
book, the alternative now being speculated upon - attack on Iraq - looks
like an act out of peevishness because of that failure. Try as America and
Britain might, the linking of Iraq to global terrorism, or even Osama bin
Laden, has failed miserably in the eyes of the public. Similarly, world
leaders, like President Jacques Chirac of France, Gerhard Schroeder of
Germany and Vladimir Putin of Russia also remain unconvinced. While
America is trying to "buy over" allies onto its side, through
enormous inducements of aid or trade, France in particular remains
impervious to such sops, preferring instead to seek the diplomatic route
to resolving the issue. This is also the view of General Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister.
Calling upon Arab leaders not to give up on peace, he stated
that leaders have to make a stand larger than a reactionary one and
present an urgent and effective initiative to be adopted by all Arabs at
their summit and activate it and solve this crisis. Admitting that it is
late, he also said Arabs must not give up "because events are very
dangerous and will effect all Arab states and regional stability and
security for years to come."
Although Iraq has requested that the Arab League summit be
delayed by two weeks from March 1 to March 14, to give Iraq time to
consider the latest requests on disarming as laid down by the UN chief
weapons inspector, so far the request has been denied. It is likely that
Arab leaders consider the situation too parlous, in respect of both Iraq
and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, to delay their annual summit. There
are, of course, other regional matters that concern the Arab League which
also must be discussed and resolved, concerning unified positions on
foreign policy, economy and aid, trade and industry, especially to those
states which do not have the addition of natural resources such as oil and
gas.
Any postponement of the Arab League summit could also be
viewed as a reluctance to formulate a stance on outstanding issues and a
failure to appreciate the urgency of the matter in hand. If that was so,
then the Arab League would be in danger of becoming like the NAM - a great
talking shop, but with no empowerment.